And what is Fame? the Meanest have their day,
The Greatest can but blaze, and pass away.

t

Grac'd as thou art, with all the Pow'r of Words, So known, so honour'd, at the House of Lords: Confpicuous Scene! another yet is nigh, 50 (More filent far) where Kings and Poets lie; Where MURRAY (long enough his Country's

pride)

Shall be no more than TULLY, or than HYDE!

"Rack'd with Sciatics, martyr'd with the Stone,

Will any Mortal let himself alone?

55

See Ward by batter'd Beaus invited over,
And defp'rate Mifery lays hold on Dover.
The cafe is easier in the Mind's disease;
There all Men may be cur'd, whene'er they please.
Would ye be*bleft? despise low Joys, low Gains;
Difdain whatever CORNBURY difdains;

61

Be virtuous, and be happy for your pains.
' But art thou one, whom new opinions fway,
One who believes as Tindal leads the way,
Who Virtue and a Church alike difowns,
Thinks that but words, and this but brick and

ftones ?

Fly then, on all the Wings of wild Defire,

Admire whate'er the maddest can admire :

NOTES.

65

to that flippery medicine, by which this Quack rendered himfelf famous, namely Quickfilver.

VER. 65. Who Virtue and a Church alike difowns,] The one he renounces in his party-pamphlets; the other, in his Rights of the Chriftian Church.

Ne Cibyratica, ne Bithyna negotia perdas.

a

Mille talenta rotundentur, totidem altera,

porro et

Tertia fuccedant, et quae pars quadret acervum.

b

Scilicet uxorem cum dote, fidemque, et amicos,

d

Et genus, et formam, regina Pecunia donat;

Ac bene nummatum decorat Suadela, Venufque.

Mancipiis locuples, eget aeris Cappadocum rex.

f

Ne fueris hic tu. ' chlamydes Lucullus, ut aiunt, Si poffet centum fcenae praebere rogatus,

Qui poffum tot? ait: tamen et quaeram, et quot habebo

Mittam: poft paulo fcribit, fibi millia quinque Effe domichlamydum: partem, vel tolleret omnes. *Exilis domus eft, ubi non et multa fuperfunt,

NOTES.

VER. 81. dub'd a Man of Worth,] Alluding to the City Knighthoods, where wealth and worship go together.

VER. 87. Or if th ee Ladies like a lucklefs Play,) The common Reader, I am fentible, will be always more folicitous about the names of these three Ladies, the unlucky Play, and every other trifling circumftance that attended this piece of gallantry, than for the explanation of our Author's fenfe, or the illuftration of his poetry; even where he is most moral and fublime. But had it been Mr. Pope's purpofe to indulge

Is Wealth thy paffion? Hence! from Pole to Pole, Where winds can carry, or where waves can roll, For Indian fpices, for Peruvian Gold,

Prevent the greedy, and out-bid the bold:

a

* Advance thy golden Mountain to the skies;
On the broad bafe of Fifty Thousand rife,
Add one round hundred, and (if that's not fair) 75
Add fifty more, and bring it to a square.

For, mark th' advantage; juft fo

b

many score Will gain a Wife with half as many more, Procure her beauty, make that beauty chafte, And then fuch Friends---as cannot fail to laft. 80 Ad Man of Wealth is dubb'd a Man of Worth, Venus fhall give him Form, and Anftis Birth. (Believe me, many a German Prince is worse, Who proud of Pedigree, is poor of Purse) His Wealth brave 'Timon gloriously confounds; 85 Afk'd for a groat, he gives a hundred pounds; Or if three Ladies like a lucklefs Play, Takes the whole House upon the Poet's day. Now, in fuch exigencies not to need,

Upon my word, you must be rich indeed;

NOTES.

90

fo impertinent a curiofity, he had fought elfewhere for a commentator on his writings. Which defect in these Notes, the periodical Scribblers, however, have been stupid and shamelefs enough to object to them.

K z

h

Et dominum fallunt, et profunt furibus. ergo,

Si res fola poteft facere et fervare beatum,

Hoc primus repetas opus, hoc poftremus omittas.

k

Si fortunatum fpecies et gratia praestat,

Mercemur fervum, qui dictet nomina, laevum

Qui fodicet latus, et ' cogat trans pondera dextram

Porrigere: "Hic multum in Fabia valet, ille Velina:
Cui libet, is fafces dabit; eripietque curule,
Cui volet, importunus ebur: "Frater, Pater, adde:
Ut cuique eft aetas, ita quemque facetus adopta.
Si bene qui coenat, bene vivit; lucet, eamus
Quo ducit gula pifcemur, venemur, ut olim
Gargilius: qui mane plagas, venabula, fervos,

NOTES.

VER. 91. A noble Superfluity, &c.] These four lines are an admirable paraphrase on

"Exilis domus eft, ubi non et multa fuperfunt,

"Et dominum fallunt, et profunt furibus."

A noble Superfluity it craves,

Not for yourself, but for your Fools and Knaves; Something, which for your Honour they may cheat,

And which it much becomes you to forget.

If Wealth alone then make and keep us blest, 95 Still, ftill be getting, never, never reft.

i But if to Power and Place your paffion lie, If in the Pomp of Life confift the joy;

k

Then * hire a Slave, or (if you will) a Lord 100
To do the Honours, and to give the Word;
Tell at your Levee, as the Crouds approach,
To whom 'to nod, whom take into your Coach,
Whom honour with your hand: to make remarks,
Who rules in Cornwall, or who rules in

m

Berks:

105

"This may be troublesome, is near the Chair: "That makes three Members, this can chuse a

Inftructed thus, you bow, embrace, proteft,

III

Adopt him " Son, or Coufin at the least,
Then turn about, and laugh at your own jest.
Or if your life be one continu'd Treat,
If ' to live well means nothing but to eat;
Up, up! cries Gluttony, 'tis break of day,
Go drive the Deer, and drag the finny-prey;
With hounds and horns go hunt an Appetite-115
So Ruffel did, but could not eat at night,